India captain MS Dhoni has demanded improvement from his side's batting line-up after their shaky efforts early in the Commonwealth Bank Series.
The visitors were dismissed for just 151 in the first match of the one-day international tri-series against Australia on Sunday and were in danger at times of failing to reach Sri Lanka's modest target of 234 in Perth on Wednesday.
They went on to beat Sri Lanka after Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 53-run seventh-wicket partnership guided them home, but it was still closer than it should have been after they were cruising at 3-157 at one stage.
Virat Kohli, who needed assistance to leave the ground after he was run out but was revealed to just be suffering from cramp, impressed with his 77 off 94 balls while Sachin Tendulkar also batted well with 48 off 63, although Dhoni said India still needed a stronger batting effort throughout the series.
"I'm very happy with the performance but the batting department can still definitely improve a bit," he said.
"There were a few shots which we shouldn't have played but mistakes do happen. Hopefully we won't repeat the mistake in the coming games."
India's batting has been problematic in all three formats on their Australian tour and one player yet to take advantage of their opportunity is highly-rated right-hander Rohit Sharma.
The 24-year-old starred in India's series against the West Indies in late 2011 but scored 21 against Australia on Sunday and was out for 10 on Wednesday.
But Dhoni said India would continue to rotate openers Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, who was rested on Wednesday, to give Sharma a chance in the middle order.
"We are looking to give Rohit as many games as possible and we can afford to do that in the first leg of the tournament," he said.
"It's very important to give a long run to a batsman like him because we all know he's got the type of talent where he can easily prove himself at the top level."
"We need to back him and we believe in the type of talent he has. Hopefully in the next couple of games he can get going."
Dhoni said 27-year-old Irfan Pathan, who has played just one ODI since early 2009, was likely to get an opportunity at some point in the series to try to fill the fast bowling all-rounder void.
"If he gets going the way he did before when he was part of the side, he is someone who suits that job really well ... we'd like to get him a few games," he said.
India's next match is against Australia in Adelaide on Sunday.